Agricultural development is our top priority: Jharkhand Guv

Jharkhand Governor Droupadi Murmu today said development of agriculture was the top priority for her government though industrial progress was also necessary to make the state progress.
Unfurling the national flag during her 67th Republic Day address, Murmu said development of agriculture was the state's priority.
Industrial development was also necessary to make the state prosperous, she said adding, the government was focused to provide a balanced, inclusive and environment-friendly development.
All possible efforts were being taken to develop education, health and finding solutions to unemployment, she said.
"...Efforts are on in setting up ITI and two development centres each in 10 naxal-affected districts of Chatra, Hazaribagh, Bokaro, Palamau, Latehar, Garhwa, East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum, Lohardaga and Gumla," she said.

To make the state investment-friendly, she said labour laws were being simplified and the state had already put in place Jharkhand Industrial Park Act 2015, Food Processing Industry Act, 2015 and Jharkhand Feed Processing Industry Act, 2015.

These efforts, she said, resulted in the World Bank ranking Jharkhand third among the three states in the country in the category of 'Ease of Doing Business'.
For women self-sustenance in villages, the government is providing cows with 90 per cent grant, she said.
The government has already completed 810 of the 1,110 km road network target for 2015-16, she said.
For the welfare and dignity of widows above 18 years of

age, the government is providing Rs 600 per month as allowance. Those who are heads of their families would be given houses under Baba Sahib Bhimrao Ambedkar Awas Yojana.
Besides, relentless campaign was on to root out child labour and those who were freed have been rehabilitated, she said, adding efforts were also on to bring back migrated persons. A helpdesk has been set up to advice, train and connect such people with employment-oriented schemes.
Murmu said the Jharkhand government has taken several initiatives to make the state-free from fear and security. The steps taken by it against ultras in the last two years had resulted in reducing extremism.

The government had also taken steps to help youths, who have strayed, to return to the mainstream.
Elaborating other steps taken by the government, she said natives hailing from scheduled districts would get in Class III and Class IV jobs for the next ten years which would give them legitimate right and they could contribute in the state's development.
Attractive tableaux of different government departments were taken out on the occasion.